bowhunter63 Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Winter in Missouri can be tough. Sometimes they scatter 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 6, 2023 Author Super User Share Posted March 6, 2023 Come home from fishing for about three hours and got to read a bunch of great replies. Thanks for the replies! Interesting data starting to form, albeit not surprising given the number of members north of the Mason Dixon line. My guess is that my winters in central Alabama don't get cold enough to ever really shut the bite down, thinking back I can't recall seeing temps below 45-48 and that's after we had three straight days way below zero at Xmas. Caught my second biggest winter fish 3 days after that huge freeze/front moved through. edit: LOL....26 members voted, I'm the only Spring hater. That should tell me something, or better that I'm doing something wrong. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User the reel ess Posted March 6, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 6, 2023 When I go in winter and get more than a couple of bites I consider that a success. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bankbeater Posted March 6, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 6, 2023 Winter is the worst. I may get some warm days here or there, but it's usually not enough to melt the ice if the lake is frozen over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody B Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 I bought my current boat in Dec 2021 after not fishing for ~30 years. Before that I had never fished past October, with the exception of fishing during November racing trips in Florida. I struggled quite a bit right after I got my boat. I had quite a bit more confidence this winter.....however, I still struggled. Due to equipment I had this winter that I didn't last year I was able to find more fish. I still struggled to catch them. I think the combination of slower metabolism, and shad dying due to the cold makes catching bass tougher. I do enjoy the lack of other boats on the lake during winter though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bird Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 Winter by far. I still go due to cabin fever but I can't consistently catch LM bass until water temps climb into the 50's. Went today for 4 hrs, water temp was 46* and caught 1 fish on a Jerkbait. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAmoeba Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Spring is the best for huge bass, summer is the easiest for numbers, winter sucks but the fish are predictable. Fall just confuses me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User DitchPanda Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 Winter. In a good winter we are iced over for 3 months in a bad year I've seen it go for almost 5. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle S Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 100% winter and its not even close! I Love the spring and summer time. Spring is when I feel like I have the best chances of catching giant bass. Summertime is a blast! Sure it might be hot, but so is the bass fishing! lots and lots of fish caught nearly every outing. Fall is where i've really got to work extra hard to find fish. I catch them all over the river and I can't ever seem to be consistent... Winter to me is a time period from December until about mid February. Water temps in the 30's and low 40's. I can't seem to buy a bite in that time frame. I feel like a big part of the reason that i'm not in love with fall is because I know winter is fast approaching. Who knows maybe I'll venture out more this upcoming winter and catch a few and gain some confidence. If anyone has any winter time fishing tips i'm all ears haha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 7, 2023 Author Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 Burned all my likes for the day, but thanks for the replies! 3 members from latitudes equal or below mine replied.....Mexico but can't fish winter, S Cali and enjoys winter fishing, and LA who didn't pick winter. Everyone else who replied is above me, and those replies are overwhelmingly for winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 7, 2023 Global Moderator Share Posted March 7, 2023 9 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said: Any other Spring haters ? According to the calendar, spring has yet to arrive. Patience, grasshopper……… first day of spring is march 20th 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 The Northern bass will still be iced over March 20th in the Spring. The Florida bass lake will be finishing the Spring Spawn cycle by March 20th. Mans 12 month 4 season Calendar is meaningless in the bass world. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GreenPig Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Woody B said: I bought my current boat in Dec 2021 after not fishing for ~30 years. Before that I had never fished past October, with the exception of fishing during November racing trips in Florida. I struggled quite a bit right after I got my boat. I had quite a bit more confidence this winter.....however, I still struggled. Due to equipment I had this winter that I didn't last year I was able to find more fish. I still struggled to catch them. I think the combination of slower metabolism, and shad dying due to the cold makes catching bass tougher. I do enjoy the lack of other boats on the lake during winter though. The dying shad is why the jigging spoon is such a phenomenal bait. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softwateronly Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 16 minutes ago, GreenPig said: The dying shad is why the jigging spoon is such a phenomenon bait. Add in the blade bait and tailspinner for a triple threat of dying shad. scott 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 7, 2023 Author Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 12 minutes ago, softwateronly said: Add in the blade bait and tailspinner for a triple threat of dying shad. scott Man those two baits accounted for close to 200 fish this winter, big fish, little fish. I had a jigging spoon in my TW Tactical Bassin "winter baits" cart back in the Fall and decided to hold off as I had so many other new baits to try. Hope to try it next year though even though we don't have a huge Shad die off down here. I've read starting in the mid 40s Threadfins start struggling and dying as the water gets colder from there. We didn't see much if any temps like that this winter. To me instead of dying shad, those two baits just represented perfectly the size bait the fish were keying in on from Dec. to the first week into Feb. I found. Little sucker caught about 125 fish over a week this winter right before the pre spawn movement part started. I discovered it too late; I'm already stoked for winter again. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawdown Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Fall is not a season I’ve figured out, but I love it. Sunset time, the bite is absolutely bonkers around grass in the Mid-South. Great time to smoke one on topwater. What to do in the time between sunrise and sunset is what I need to figure out. At least I know the bluegills in 15 fow are big and fight good! I like early spring (late February-middle of April) because the fish aren’t as pressured and there’s no pleasure boaters. By May it’s ridiculous around here. I’ve simply never fished in the winter. But I’m will plan on taking a pole with me on duck hunts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 7, 2023 Author Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 48 minutes ago, GreenPig said: The dying shad is why the jigging spoon is such a phenomenon bait. Like the black buzzer, I hope to mimic your success on one next winter. This winter was the only time in 20yrs of Bass fishing I thought I had them figured out for periods of time. I had the confidence to throw new baits which paid off. Summer night fishing was the only other time I was ever confident on the water. Fall is just so much fun even though it can be frustrating. You have epic days mixed with days of pure frustration. With Spring I just need more time on the water, I need to keep reading here more, watching more TB videos, etc. Just sucks going from understanding a little bit about these critters to feeling lost again. Such is Bass fishing for 95% of us. 6 minutes ago, Drawdown said: Fall is not a season I’ve figured out, but I love it. Sunset time, the bite is absolutely bonkers around grass in the Mid-South. Great time to smoke one on topwater. What to do in the time between sunrise and sunset is what I need to figure out. At least I know the bluegills in 15 fow are big and fight good! Yes, while the Fall can be tough for days or even a week, the Jerkbait days and Buzzbait days, and EXCEPTIONAL beauty all around you make up for it. Nothing like fishing a beautiful Fall day, wow that just took me their briefly. This was from Nov 5th, the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GreenPig Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 2 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said: Like the black buzzer, I hope to mimic your success on one next winter. This winter was the only time in 20yrs of Bass fishing I thought I had them figured out for periods of time. I had the confidence to throw new baits which paid off. Summer night fishing was the only other time I was ever confident on the water. Fall is just so much fun even though it can be frustrating. You have epic days mixed with days of pure frustration. With Spring I just need more time on the water, I need to keep reading here more, watching more TB videos, etc. Just sucks going from understanding a little bit about these critters to feeling lost again. Such is Bass fishing for 95% of us. It's a puzzle and everybody's is a bit different. Looking at my pics a 1/3 of my LM/Spots are caught between mid March - mid May. Pic below is from a mixed bag from April 22. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawdown Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Fall is Perfection 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 7, 2023 Author Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 1 minute ago, GreenPig said: It's a puzzle and everybody's is a bit different. Looking at my pics a 1/3 of my LM/Spots are caught between mid March - mid May. Pic below is from a mixed bag from April 22. Fantastic stuff except seeing the super G that many time ? 1 minute ago, Drawdown said: Fall is Perfection Sublime, the ultimate happy place No problems exist in that small universe for the brief periods of time we are blessed to be a witness to it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txchaser Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Winter. I have to go because <big fish> but it sure gets windy and I'm a little boat. And some days there's not much pattern or fish I can find, and catching dinks in the cold is... terrible. Better than catching nothing I suppose. On a fullsize boat with FFS, winter probably goes to #2 after prespawn as a favorite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Darth-Baiter Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 every season has it's challenges. Spring time is our windiest. and for a kayaker, that totally sucks..or blows. i hate strong winds in a kayak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted March 7, 2023 Global Moderator Share Posted March 7, 2023 Winter is toughest, but fall is a close second. I probably dislike fall more because it's typically harder for me to find big fish in fall than winter. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfantryMP Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/6/2023 at 12:21 PM, GreenPig said: Summer. Here in Georgia with our humidity it's like being in a sauna. This 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Hammer 4 Posted March 7, 2023 Super User Share Posted March 7, 2023 I'm gonna say winter, only cuz I get Cold way to easily..lol 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.